Inside Washington

Alas, the bags are unpacked and the summer interns and EPIC (Executive Pentagon International Diplomats Congress) interns are settling in to their new homes for the summer at George Washington University. Pictured above are my fellow EPIC interns Kyle (K-Liebes), Dave (D-Dawg), Me, and Kim (Kimmie).

When I first got to Washington DC, I was a little apprehensive; I had no clue what my job description entailed, didn't know any of the people in charge, had only briefly met the team leaders in Colorado Springs, and had a lot of question. However, the kickoff dinner with the staff team dispelled a lot of the worries and gray areas. The team leaders all have strong relationships with the Lord and it's evident with the way they speak and live. I could spend hours soaking in their wisdom of the Scriptures, and hearing their stories about ministry on Capitol Hill. Such a neat group!

Once the student interns started arriving to DC, we took them to West Virginia for a bonding adventure that included a bonfire, team building activities, a low ropes course, good food, and paintball. For my first time paintballing, I was proud of one particular hit I had. Our team was on the bottom of a hill and I was "sniping" the other team's defensive area during Capture the Flag. I aimed carefully and popped off a shot and a yellow ball of paint hit an opponent squarely in the back. Unfortunately, Graham (nicknamed "Gent" for his Southern Genteel personage) had already been hit and was supposed to be off limits as a target. He said in his southern drawl, "I'm already out guys, stop shooting me!" Welp...my bad. :)

Our focus this summer is Identity in Christ. We will be living together, eating together, studying Ephesians together, and really zeroing in on that fact that apart from Jesus, we have no other identity. I'm looking forward to getting to know all the interns better and dig into the Word with them. I'm expectant that the Lord is going to use 13 interns from all over the nation, 4 team leaders, and the rest of the EPIC staff to really be a light for Christ in the most powerful city in the nation.

I was reading Psalm 58 this morning and it seemed like a reminder of the world we're stepping into. "Do you rulers indeed speak justly? Do you judge uprightly among men? No, in your heart you devise injustice, and your hands mete out violence on the earth...Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears, that will not heed the tune of the charmer, however skillful the enchanter may be." Yup, sounds about like Capitol Hill. I pray that the Lord strengthen and protect our team, allowing everyone to be skilled and hard-working despite opposition they may face.

Spiritual Generations

From left to right: Stephanie, Me, Casey, Korryn.

Korryn was my discipler and I am currently in discipleship with Casey and Stephanie. It is cool to see a picture of spiritual generations in the making!

Whoa. Just Whoa.

"They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. But after the disciples gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city." -Acts 14:19

I often say God is great, but my understanding has just begun to scratch the surface. I am constantly amazed.

Not so Fast!

For the beginning of my walk with the Lord, I had misunderstood fasting as a simple, "Oh, I can't eat this or that laa-dee-dah" type thing. It was always a struggle because my motives were always unclear and I couldn't see how my relationship with God could possibly be impacted by me eating or not eating certain foods for a week (or however length of time I set aside to be "extra holy.") I always go back to Isaiah 58, but this time while meditating on the true meaning, I felt a wave of peace wash over me. It's the HEART behind the fast that God cares about. He wants our HEARTS to be genuine, without a double-motive, unselfish, repentant, etc.

The song from the musical Damn Yankees just popped into my head: "But ya gotta have heart! Miles and miles and miles of heart!"

Seriously though.

We seek answers from the Lord, yet we don't sacrifice.

Isaiah 58:2, "For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God."

Meanwhile, we continue to live in sin.

Isaiah 58:3-4, "Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists."

When we do sacrifice, we'll eat a few vegetables and fruits rather than a Taco Bell crunch wrap supreme and then cry out "Where are you Lord?" But it doesn't work like that.

Isaiah 58: 4, "You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high."

In my times with God, I have been boldly asking for many things both for me personally and for the students in the Mizzou Navigators ministry. I ask God to reveal himself to certain students, for Him to change hearts, break chains of bondage to sin, grow and mature young believers, etc. For me personally I've been asking for deeper revelation of the Word, prophetic dreams, a divine ability to take my evil thoughts captive. However, oftentimes my prayers are mere asks, and if I couple prayer with fasting I tend to revert back to the ways of zero heart change.

Daniel 10 has an amazing account of how the Lord responds to a true fast. While Daniel prayed and fasted for three weeks, at the end of that time, "A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. He said, "Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you." And when he said this to me, I stood up, trembling." The Lord answered Daniel's prayer in a huge way and had in fact, been working the whole time Daniel was fasting. You should read all of Daniel 10 and see how God sent the angel as soon as Daniel started fasting, but the angel got caught up by the Prince of Persia and was delayed 3 weeks, the exact amount of time Daniel fasted.

I'm once again asking the Lord for something huge. I'm praying specifically for the hearts of the two girls I am in discipleship with. I'm asking for a transformation of mind and heart. I'm asking for hearts of obedience to His perfect precepts.

I have two months left on campus and I'm starting to see that is not enough time. Please pray with me that the time is spent well.

Snowmageddon!

As the snow flakes were pounding against the house for hours, I looked at the ground and shook my head with the knowledge that it would be a while yet before I could again leave my parent's house in Peculiar, Missouri to make it back to Columbia. I had no idea how right I would be. They ended up closing I-70, the major highway connecting the two cities. My brother Dalton and I have been out shoveling for hours at a time and last night, as we fervently worked to shovel out a path that my car could drive out in, we took a break to make snow angels and play tag. Running in the snow seemed impossible because it was so deep, and let me tell you, it is a fantastic workout! My face was bright red when I came back inside and I was reminded that I hate snow, but when you're playing in it and having fun, one can a briefly forget. :-)

I actually had a job interview scheduled for yesterday as a live-in counselor for troubled teens. I have been excitedly researching the job for over a year and a half now, and am praying that I will be able to work and serve there. I have enjoyed college ministry this year and will continue to enjoy it the rest of the year, but I really miss working with teens. That sounds CRAZY to most people, but I like kids and I miss them. At the Intersection, my favorite age group to work with were the 12-15 year old girls. Perhaps I'll be back at it by next August. We'll see what God does.

Most recent exciting news: I am going to be a team leader for the summer training program called INSIDE WASHINGTON! So I'll be in DC for the summer. Hurray! More details to come hopefully. I haven't been very good about keeping up with this blog thing.

Brand New Day

Colorado Springs to Washington to Kansas City to St. Louis to Columbia.

It's been a busy month full of family, travels, friends and excitement. Christmas was spent for the first time (in my memory) with extended family. My brother Bruce and I spent Christmas Eve with the Sanidads and then Christmas day with the Du Valls. It was a blessing to catch up with everybody and to celebrate with those we don't get to see very often.

This weekend I'll be traveling to Asheville, North Carolina with the Navigators and am looking forward to some great lessons and fellowship. More traveling means more adventures! But to be honest, I'm ready to get back to Columbia and get back to the daily grind.

Crazy awesome praise report- I had a major gift come into my account from an anonymous donor. All I have to say is God is good! I was super encouraged when I saw it as support raising has been tough from the beginning and has continued to be difficult. But God is the ultimate provider and he has been using others to show me that it's not about me and my trails or discomfort, but ultimately about Him and His glory!

I'll amen that. Heck to the yes I will.

It's snowing and has been for what seems like forever (well...three days). I would make a snowman or something but eh, it's too cold. :)

Christmas Season

As the Mizzou school semester comes to a close, it's impossible to ignore the fact that friends and students are still in a phase of transition. Old friends that I've known for years are graduating and moving away, new friends that I've grown closer to are preparing for their last set of finals, and some Navigator students are finishing their degrees in the next two weeks. It's been so comforting to me to know that while the world is ever-changing, the God we serve remains the same.

Our Navigator Christmas party is this Thursday! AWWW YEAH!!! We'll be spending some good time eating homemade desserts (NOM NOM), fellowshipping with one another, continuing to eat desserts, having sweet time in worship, and playing games. Oh, and it's going to be held at THE PLEX, so my roommates and I are hosting. I'm excited to see everybody before break. Also, THE PLEX now has an official mascot named Leonard! He is a gray kitten that was actually born at The Plex while we were babysitting his cat Mom. Rachel T. tied a ribbon with a little bell around his neck so we can always here him bounding down the hall, curiously exploring his giant surroundings. I'm equally curious to know how he will fair with all of the Navigators over for the party.

THEN I'M A TRAVELIN' FOOL.

After that, I'm heading to Colorado Springs for our second EDGE Corps summit training. It will be great catching up with everybody and spending some restful time in Colorado. There are some amazing powerhouse Christian leaders there, and I always desire to soak up the wisdom they have to pass along. The day after I return from EDGE summit, I head to Seattle to spend Christmas with family. My brother BJ and I are going, and it should be an adventure.

With love, a knitted hat, and the joy of Christ!

Navigators at the 116 Clique Concert

ALL SAVED ALL SERIOUS.

God has brought some new and amazing people to our Navigators group this year, both at Mizzou and CMU (Central Methodist University). Pictured above are Stephanie, Roscoe, Cote, James, and Sean. I'm excited for what the Lord is doing in their lives and the beautiful fellowship that continues to blossom within the group.

How to not cook a yucca

My boyfriend is trying his best to cook a yucca, yet he is unsuccessful in his attempt. I feel kind of bad for him in that regards, as he's taken quite a bit of time peeling off the thick skin, chopping it up, boiling it, adding a touch of salt, etc.

Who am I kidding right now? All Dan had to do for real was boil the sucker and he messed up. Epic fail, yucca style.

This yucca story loosely parallels 1 Peter (a stretch, but stay with me), which is what Dan and I are studying together. 1 Peter 1: 13-16 gives us a series of commands, which include:

1. Setting your hope on the grace of Jesus Christ

2. Not conforming to evil desires

3. Being holy

Seriously, we have a set of instructions that shouldn't be that hard to do. Similarly, Dan had a simple set of cooking directions that should not have been that difficult. However, add our sinful nature and we run into difficulties. Suddenly, "Be holy" becomes quite the hurdle because of our fleshly desires. We want to be holy, but we also want to give in to our struggles, or compromise just a little bit. Or, we'll even try making a step by step approach to how we can "be holy," which includes a long list of dos and don'ts that we can't possibly adhere to. We put a yoke on ourselves that the Lord never intended for us to have!

Dan thought he was following the directions, and technically he was "on the right path" but he ended up overcooking the yucca. He tried adding butter, pepper, and garlic for flavor, but to no avail. It was mushy and he wasn't even able to fry it like he intended. Sometimes I think that I "overcook" or try too hard being obedient to the Lord. I'm too hard on myself and put all sorts of red tape on my relationship with God that shouldn't have to be there. I should strive to follow the recipe in its simplicity. 1 Peter 1: 14, "As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance." We don't need to add any extra ingredients. Keep it simply. The Lord says, "Be holy for I am holy."

Birthday Cake...err, Birthday Concert

So, my desire for my birthday was to have it be completely low key. I definitely wanted my focus to be on God and His sovereignty. However, God in all his sovereignty totally blessed me with the best birthday ever.

All day long I was getting phone calls and texts from family and friends. It was a delight getting to catch up with some, and I got a good laugh from some of my voicemail messages of people singing, "Happy Birrrrthhhday to you!" Korryn bought me breakfast which kick-started a great time of fundraising and ministry work. Afterwards, I met with some friends to drive down to KC for the 116 Clique Unashamed tour. I was literally bouncing up and down in my seat in anticipation. Ever since my friend Megan called me to tell me she got me a ticket for my birthday and that they would be rapping in KC on the day of my birthday...you best believe I was stoked.

To me, God has used Christian rap to really show me how God is the Ultimate Redeemer. He scoops us up in His hands, despite the fact that each of us are a mess, and He transforms us. The struggle with sin is there in the songs, but the highlight isn't the sin, but the fact that Christ saved us from that sin. He took us and clothed us in His righteousness, not because we were deserving by any means, but because He wanted to save us. I feel like I could print out the lyrics to so many songs by the 116 Clique rappers and have a Bible study because it goes so deep into the Word of God.

My friend Angela made us t-shirts that said, "I rove Jesus," with a Hello Kitty decal as the letter "o." For those of you unfamiliar with the fact that I hardcore embrace Asian stereotypes, we were making fun of Asian accents. Angela is Korean. We go to the same church and I have had somebody get us mixed up before. It was great. The shirts were a brilliant idea and a hilarious way to get the concert party started.

I was blessed by the fact that fellow Navigators came to the concert. James Biswell, who I feel like is my partner in "crime" at times (with all the skits and presentations we have done together), ended up driving a car full of Navers. I got to meet one of the new CMU Nav gentlemen, Rosco, one of our freshman ladies named Stephanie accompanied us, and my new friend Cote (who was possibly as excited as I was about the concert) drove out with us. My friends Scott and Angela from church went, as of course did my besties Lis and Megan. One of Megan's Christian fraternity brothers Derrik also came and his company was delightful. My friend Shelbi also drove up from Peculiar. We have been friends since middle school and used to play flute together in band back in the day.

The concert was amazing. They rapped songs that Megan and I used to listen to over and over when we were struggling with certain issues, songs that inspired us to keep running after the Lord and to flee from temptation. They reminded the crowd that it wasn't about the hype, but about giving glory to our Creator. We were all screaming, singing along to the lyrics, and dancing for the Lord and I couldn't help but think, "I will become even more UNDIGNIFIED than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes." (2 Samuel 6:22) The concert blessed and encouraged me, and I pray that it blessed and encouraged the hundreds of people who were also in attendance. I pray that the Believers walked away desiring more of God and to live their lives for His glory!

Afterwards, at about 1am, we all went to Dennys to eat dinner. We shared our testimonies, which was amazing seeing how God has truly transformed each of us, and enjoyed a time of fellowship. I loved getting to know everybody better and it was amazing how God could knit a bunch of rag-a-muffin hearts together and bless our time so richly. Our group was an eclectic mix of people- diverse in color, interests, style of clothing, etc. However, each of us had one thing in common: Jesus. Looking around the table I realized that our identities were truly not in our skin color, what music we liked to listen to, whether we grew up in a Christian home, whatever; but it was in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I am still not over the amazingness that is God, and how he uses people to inspire, encourage, and show me love.

I rolled into my apartment at about 3am. My boyfriend had sent me flowers for my birthday (which I didn't get a chance to see because I was gone all day). He sent a funny poem and a verse with them: Psalm 9:10, "Those who know your name trust in You, for You, LORD, have never forsaken those that seek You." It really was a sweet ending to a sweet day.

Although it was my birthday, it really was the Lord's day first and foremost, and I just revel in the fact that He loves me so much.

Excitement

I'm in eager anticipation.

For God's provision, for blossoming friendships, for exciting adventures! Tomorrow, I'm going to KC for the Lecrae concert with some great people. Next week, I fly out to Maryland to see my boyfriend.

Adventure is out there!

Wait, what? Navs is having a Dance Party?

www.midmissourinavs.com/mizzou/mizzouviewer.php?file=96

There is a time to dance, and Mizzou Navigators shall do just that on October 30th. I'm excited to check out everybody's dance moves, and even more excited to check out people's lack of dance moves. Honestly, I can't dance, but I do anyway because it's fun. Seeing people dance who can't dance is more fun than clouds made of cotton candy.

The above video link was edited by Clayton Kreisel, who is awesome. Korryn and I filmed the video at the local Goodwill. Oh yes, we are excited about a dance party.

Power of Testimony

Campus ministry with the Navigators continues to teach me so much about God, people, and myself. It's a challenging endeavor, and I'm thankful to be in an environment where I'm growing exponentially and coming into contact with beautiful individuals who come from various backgrounds. I'm learning that there is power in my testimony, and the transforming power of Christ is evident when it's shared.

The Lord continues to remind me of what He's brought me through, and it's such a beautiful thing to be able to look past some of the darkest times of my life and realize that God has gotten glory through it all. Back in 2007 I could barely see past the fact that I was in and out of psychiatric centers or the fact that I had to take seven medications a day to maintain my sanity. Being labeled "mentally ill," I equated it with brokenness, and was fixated on the hurt, pain, and confusion.

I just met with my friend Brittany, who has literally gone through the same struggle with mental illness. Meeting with her is so refreshing and Proverbs 27:17 (iron sharpening iron) is always in action as we discuss what God is doing in our lives, how treatment is going, and where we feel the Lord is leading us. I am constantly reminded that those dark hours did indeed happen, but God in His ultimate goodness redeemed me (and Brittany as well). I love talking to Brittany about it because I feel completely free to be open and honest to her about details and don't have to side-step any issues or "dumb down" discussion about doctor's visits, medication, the hospitalizations, or whatever. I know that we can share our experiences with each other without fear of judgment and our conversations point to God and how we can use these things to bring Him glory. We've been talking about how our testimony can speak to others who struggle with mental illnesses or how we can help family/friends of people struggling be more supportive and understanding.

Galatians 5:1, "It is for freedom that Christ has set you free. Stand firm then and do not let yourself be burdened again by the yoke of slavery."

As Christ freed me from bondage and captivity, I feel like my mental illness has been an illustration of God breaking my personal chains of captivity. In a lot of ways, my episodes have forced me to drop every single IDENTITY that was not of God and make my IDENTITY Christ. The manic-depressive episodes broke me and brought me to Christ.

When Brittany and I talk about these things, we are not just sharing a common experience, but we are thinking, dreaming, praying through how the Lord can use us for His glory. I pray that God uses both of our experiences to speak truth into the lives of others, and show those suffering that the Lord is sweeter, bigger, stronger than the pain.

He sets you free.

Psalm 91

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my

fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare

and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with his feathers,

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

You will not fear the terror of the night,

nor the arrow that flies by day,

nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,

nor the plague that destroys at midday.

A thousand may fall at your side,

ten thousand at your right hand,

but it will not come near you.

You will only observe with your eyes

and see the punishment of the wicked.

If you make the Most High your dwelling-

even the LORD, who is my refuge-

then no harm will befall you,

no disaster will come near your tent.

For he will command his angels concerning you

to guard you in all your ways;

they will lift you up in their hands,

so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

You will treat upon the lion and the cobra;

you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

"Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him;

I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

He will call upon me, and I will answer him;

I will be with him in troubke,

I will deliver him and honor him.

With long life will I satisfy him

and show him my salvation."

Intersection Drama Class

After working at the Intersection after-school program for 2 1/2 years, I am currently now a volunteer teaching drama class and helping lead the girls' youth group (called M3 Clique-Matthew 17:20). As long as I'm in Columbia, MO, I desire to continue pouring into these young hearts.

P.S. I wasn't having a really bad day for real. That was just the prompt.

Support Raising: Real Talk

Ok, it's time to get real. REAL TALK right here. I am nowhere near where I am supposed to be in my support raising with the Navigators. Although the last month has been filled with amazing ministry opportunities and times to connect with students, fundraising has taken the back seat and I now understand why it's important to have the funding secured prior to hitting the campus. Once you get on campus and become burdened by the harvest there, it's difficult to remove yourself from that and focus on something that not only seems less important, but it's WAAAY less enjoyable.

I have been attacked all over the place, and have been dwelling on all of the reasons why I'm not at the level I'm supposed to be at. Honestly, they're just cheap excuses that mean nothing to God, who owns the bank. I am giving these excuses up to God, and am not letting lies from the enemy hinder me from what the Lord has in store for my life.

Silly excuses (and even silly lies) that I am giving up to God (deep breath): I wasn't raised a believer, and have no home church or community to support me. My mom's family lives in the Philippines, and they are legit poor. The families/kids I have been serving the past two and a half years (at The Intersection) are low-income, underprivileged. They were my Christian community over the past few years. My non-believer family thinks I am CRAZY for doing this, vocalizing it. People are just going to keep saying "no."

To be honest, all these things are excuses. The majority of my face-to-face appointments have been discouraging to the point where I have been gripped with fear. Fear that Edge Corps is not where I am supposed to be, which is a total lie. The Lord has kept me in Columbia so that I may draw near to Him, learn more about who He is, and develop my abilities as a spiritual leader. Out of the overflow of my personal relationship with Christ, I can help encourage and equip other college-age leaders, and continue to pour into students who need Jesus.

Uh oh- Percentage REAL TALK. I am currently at 26% funded (Insert gasp from other Nav staffers) and have been feeling like the well is dry. I was supposed to be at 75% funded over a month ago. My anxiety has been real in terms of funding, however, I still believe that God will provide all of my funding. Rather than allow my fear to halt me (and the plans to advance the gospel on campus), I have decided to partner with my campus directors and Korryn and take EXTREME measures.

I am currently fasting and praying for God to bring in $10,000 by October 1st. I believe that the Lord is huge and that this amount of money is nothing to the Creator of the Universe. I have been reading and rereading Isaiah 58.

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter- when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard." -Isaiah 58:6-8

I have had to step back from ministry on campus during the day (haha, perhaps way overdue, but God blessed my time on campus) from 10am-3pm in order to work on raising support. I have been forced to be super creative with contacts, and am praying that God prepare the hearts of the people I'm supposed to approach next. I pray that support raising will turn out to be a fruitful ministry, and that people are challenged to give money that doesn't really even belong to them to begin with- it's God's money.

This all has been hard to write down and share. A huge enemy attack has been that I'm a failure. But I continue to seek the comfort of scripture and know that as long as I remain obedient to the Lord, obeying His commands, and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide my steps, God will be pleased.

Blessings, love, and God's perfect peace,

Jackie

P.S. I told Korryn yesterday at 3:00pm that I was asking the Lord to bring in $10,000 by October 1st. At 3:37 I received a phone call saying that I would be receiving $5,000 by next week. I am encouraged, refreshed, and expectant that my Father in heaven provides.

Meet Korryn!

Improvisation may not be our forte, but I just wanted you all to meet another staff member with the Mizzou Navs. Korryn is a former biology major, an artist, and a devoted follower of Christ.

Don't worry, my favorite medium is still writing so I will continue to do so.

Write on, man, write on.

That's What's Up!

Above is a video about my attempt to teach one of the foreign exchange student friends I met in Navigators American slang. Sometimes I forget that I am a huge nerd and don't speak normal vernacular like everybody else. :)

WOW. I say "um" and "uh" so many times. Don't worry, next time will be slightly less annoying.

For Kathleen

My roommate has informed me that she has been stalking my Edge Corps blog and that I have time and time again disappointed her through my failure to post consistently. I reassured her, and I reassure you as well, that I will be more diligent in posting.

So much has happened in the last few weeks! Two weeks have past since classes at the University of Missouri have kicked off, and it has been a pleasure serving the Navigators on Mizzou's campus as well as helping out with CMU's group. It has been a busy, busy time, and through the business, it has been so important for me to recognize that my time with God cannot be compromised. I seek Him first in the mornings, and despite the hectic schedule, I have been in such a rich time of learning and growing through personal Bible study.

The photo above is of Korryn (left), Ashley (right), and I at a friend's bonfire. Women from different ministries (including Navs) gathered together to worship, pray, and share with each other how God has been working in our hearts and lives. It was so encouraging to hear different women share difficult things in their lives, or struggles that they were completely and totally giving over to the Lord. Then, under a clear sky glittering from shining stars, we were able to lift our voices in worship and give the Creator of the Universe the praise that He deserves. It was such a beautiful thing.

Also a beautiful thing, it has been a delight to see new faces at our Navigator meetings! It's so much fun to me to be able to meet with young women one-on-one (for coffee of course!) and get to know them better. One particular young lady surprised me by sharing that she loves heavy metal screaming music...which goes to show that you definitely can't judge a book by its cover. I never would have guessed that in a million years! I have also had so much fun getting to know some of the foreign exchange students. I had a huge moment of ignorance when I asked one of the new students named Daniel if he knew how to speak Cantonese or Mandarin. He looked at me gravely and said that he was from South Korea.

I FELT SO BAD!!!

I am thoroughly convinced though, that not even Asians can tell other Asians apart. This conclusion was solidified last week, when I was shopping at the Filipino market in town called Meechus. The owner asked me what nationality I was. When I told him I was half Filipino, he acted very surprised. Our exchange has prompted me to start picking up Tagalog again, as I still feel like God is going to bring me back to the Philippines- perhaps even with the Navigators. One can never tell.

New faces at Navigators have been delightful, and old faces have been equally delightful. I love the heartbeat of our Navs group (which is smaller than a lot of the Nav college groups in our region). The willingness to serve and love each other is what drew me in, and that willingness is prompted by a hunger for God. These students are truly devoted to the Lord, and I pray that their devotion is contagious to the new students. My heart has definitely been for outreach (among other things), to go to places that may seem unconventional to share the gospel. However, discipleship has been a huge part of my heart as well, and I pray that as God brings in new people, the Navigators remain faithful to disciple, invest, and teach those who are wanting to learn.

And, I think I've failed to mention THE PLEX, which is the duplex where I live with five other women. They all have been affiliated with Navigators at some point in their lives, or are currently in the ministry. The vision of a house full of Christian women began three years ago, and has continued with new additions until now. The fellowship has been fantastic! Every week (usually on Sundays), we eat dinner together and then a different Plexian will lead our meetings as we get to know each other more intimately, and share what God has been teaching us. I am so thankful to know these lovely ladies.

This post may seem disjointed, and I'm going to continue along those lines and say that a few of my favorite moments from the last few weeks have been playing ULTIMATE frisbee with the Navigators after our Nav nights on Thursdays. We're kind of a motley crew on Stankowski field, as some of us have never really touched a frisbee (and I was barefoot and in jeans). However, the laughs outweigh the number of throws that fail to make it to a partner, and it is a blast watching friends that I worship and serve with running around feigning competitiveness.

Also, I am finding out more and more that Korryn (who discipled me) is a BEAST at sports. Like, DANNNNGGGGGGG, she's so good!

Until I blog again, friend, I will continue to spend my time teaching foreign exchange students useless slang.

Magandang araw po (good day, sir/madam), and I hope Kathleen is now happy. :)

See More Him

The photo above is of my friend Lis and I up in a tree while we were in Texas. I feel that it is fitting for the message of Zacchaeus out of Luke 19, which has been on my heart for months.

Luke 19: 1-4, "Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way."

I'm just going to stop right there. I would encourage you all to read on and discover (perhaps all over again) how Zacchaeus repents of his sins and turns his life around as soon as he's in the Lord's presence. But I can't get out of my head how Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus so much that he pulled away from the crowd, and shimmied his short self up a sycamore tree just to see Him.

Amazing!

I have to ask myself on a regular basis, "Ok Jackie, what are you doing to see more of God? Are you really seeking and climbing and desiring more of Christ so much that you do something drastic to reach Him? To what length are you willing to make sacrifices to follow?"

There's a song by Flame called "See More Him" that explains the struggle of getting sidetracked or falling into idolatry when the God who is truly satisfying is right in front of us. It's Christian rap, which I understand isn't everybody's cup of tea, but I am a lyrics person and think the depth of the lyrics and the scripture woven tightly in the songs challenges me to think about my faith on a deeper level.

"Though I'm a Christian my vision sometimes even get blurred
When I'm resisting His visits and not reading His Word
Desperate need to be purged
Easy to lose the wonder
Through these daily distractions banging louder than thunder
When I devalue my Savior and start treasuring trash
And longing for mud patches thinking it's greener grass
Exchanging eternal pleasures for the ones that's going to pass
Looking for 'em to satisfy but they lie never last"

The hook proceeds to cry out, "I wanna see more Him, cus I'm sick of more me/ I'm gonna be like Zacchae in that sycamore tree."

What up Flame?

I want to climb higher just to get a glimpse of our perfect Savior who took me in my brokenness and transformed me!

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Ah yes, and I wanted to give a huge praise report as to how support raising for Edge Corps is going. Frankly, I have been blessed by how people are coming together to give to this mission. God keeps surprising me and adding people to my support team daily. It is a tedious, yet exciting journey and I'm thankful even that it hasn't been easy. I feel like I'm being strengthened and prepared to reach some higher branches this year.